A network-based email system typically has a multitude of features and configurable user options to have incoming email messages delivered to an email inbox and/or user-defined folders. For example, a user can create rules to organize incoming email messages into different email folders. Similarly, a user can add someone to a safe sender list to continue receiving email messages from that sender in an email inbox. Additionally, some email messages are routed based on content or other characteristics, such as a spam message that is detected by the email system and routed to a junk email folder.
Email routing and organization may become problematic for a user when customized, user-defined rules and other email filters overlap and/or when a user does not remember the customized rules over a period of time. For example, a user may designate a particular sender in a safe sender list, but later create a custom rule that routes all email messages from the particular sender to the junk email folder. Similarly, the user may turn on exclusive filter settings that cause legitimate email messages to be routed to the junk email folder. A user may become frustrated when these and other email routing decisions cause email messages to be delivered to folders that are not expected.